What is in Ramen Noodles?

Revised 2020 April 21

I created this page because its hard to read the tiny print on ramen packages.

Green Dot for Vegetarian Products

You can save time by looking for products with a Green Dot indicating that they are vegetarian.

Whats in them?

Salt

The FDA recommends that individuals consume no more than 2300 milligrams of sodium per day, and that certain groups limit intake to 1,500 milligrams per day. I calculate the sodium % Daily Value based on 2300mg.

Lead

There was a scandal in India because Maggi noodles were found to contain more lead than permitted by law.

Package Says Vegan

Nongshim: "Vegan" SOON Veggie Noodle Soup MILD (in bag)

Made in south Korea. May contain egg, milk, fish, and crustacean shellfish. In other words, it is made in a facility that is not vegan only.

Enriched wheat flour, palm oil, potato starch, modified potato starch, salt,
dehydrated vegetables (choy sum, carrot), hydrolyzed soy protein, maltodextrin,
sugar, yeast extract, garlic*, soy sauce (wheat, soy, salt), red chili pepper*,
soybean*, potasium carbonate, black pepper*, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate,
dextrose, mushroom extract*, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids,
shiitake mushroom*, onion*, hydrolyzed wheat protein, kelp extract, gum arabic
natural flavors, sodium phosphates, sodium carbonate, green onion*,
citric acid, disodium succinate, radish extract*, tocopherols,
modified tapioca starch, modified corn starch, high fructose corn syrup,
yellow corn flour, ginger*, green tea extract, rice flour, wheat starch,
riboflavin color, soy lecithin
* = powdered

Half bag (56g) has (920mg) 40% of Daily Value for sodium. (So full bag has 80% of daily salt allowance.)

Nongshim: "Vegan" Kimchi Noodle Soup (in paper cup)

Made in USA. Contains wheat and soy. Made in a facility that also processes fish, crustacean shellfish, and milk.

Noodles:
 Enriched wheat flour, potato starch, palm oil, modified potato starch, salt.
Seasoning:
 Dehydrated flakes (carrot, green onion, cabbage),
 dried kimchi flakes (napa cabbage, red chili pepper powder,
 garlic, dextrin, salt, ginger, glucono delta-lactaone),
 maltodextrin, yeast extract,
 onion flvored oil (dextrose, canola oil, onion, garlic, ginger,
 tocopherols antioxidant),
 napa cabbage, dextrose, hydrolysed soy protein, garlic,
 vegetable extract (onion, garlic, ginger, red chili pepper, onion,
 sugar, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, red chili pepper,
 garlic extract, sodium carbonate, citric acid, cellulose,
 radish extract, malic acid, rice flour, sodium phosphate,
 non dairy lactic acid, tocopherols (antioxidant),
 corn starch, ginger, yellow corn flour, riboflavin (colour),
 green onion, modified tapioca starch.

75g has (900mg) 39% of Daily Value for sodium.

Thai Kitchen Spring Onion instant rice noodle soup

Made in Thailand.

Noodles:
 Rice, water, tapioca starch.
Seasoning:
 Sugar, salt, onion powder, roasted flavor
 (contains hydrolyzed corn protein)
 hydrolyzed soy protein, yeast extract,
 garlic powder, spring onion leaves,
 soyabean oil, disodium inosinate and guanylate,
 spices, citric acid.
Oil:
 Soyabean oil, red chili pepper, garlic, shallot.

45g has (380mg) 17% of Daily Value for sodium.

Other vegan Thai Kitchen noodles include Garlic and Vegetable. Top

Koyo Ramen Soup Lemongrass and Ginger

Made in China.

Noodles:
 Organic heirloom wheat flour, sea salt.
Seasoning:
 Sea salt, mushroom powder,
 vegetable powder (onion, garlic), sugar, chili pepper,
 ginger, black pepper, lemongrass, green onion, kombu powder.

60g has (650mg) 28% of Daily Value for sodium.

Other vegan Koyo products include: Soba buckwheat noodles, Garlic pepper noodles, Tofu and miso noodles.

Lotus Foods organic Millet and Brown Rice Ramen

Made in China. 0 mg sodium.

Noodles:
 Organic brown rice flour, organic millet.
Seasoning:
 None.

Lotus Foods Jade Pearl Rice Ramen with miso soup mix

Made in China.

Noodles:
 Organic brown and organic white rice fours, bamboo extract
Seasoning:
 White miso powder (cultured soybeans and rice, salt),
 salt, soybean powder, white onion powder,
 tamari powder (soybeans, sea salt), dried wakame powder,
 dried parsley.

80g has (820mg) 36% of Daily Value for sodium.

Other versions include Forbidden Rice Ramen with Miso soup mix.

Package says Vegetarian (or has Green Dot)

Canton Instant Noodles Vegetable Flavor (Green Dot)

Made in Bangladesh. Does not contain any fish, meat, egg, or dairy.

Noodles:
 Wheat flour, potato starch, palm oil,
 anti-caking agent (sodium bicarbonate),
 thickener (guar gum), sodium tripolyphosphate, riboflavin
Seasoning:
 Salt, spices and herbs (coriander, garlic, sallot (shallot?),
 turmeric, cumin, chili, cardamom, aniseed, cloves, nutmeg,
 ginger), sugar,
 msg (E621),
 disodium 5 ribonucleotides E635,
 hydrolydzed vegetable protein, vegetable oil,
 anticaking (silicon dioxide E551),
 maltodextrin, flavour,
 colour (caramel E150a, ammonia caramel E150c),
 paprika oleoresin and yeast extract.

Package has (120mg) 6% of Daily Value for sodium.

Other Canton noodles include Curry flavor Noodles. Top

Chings secret: Singapore Curry Instant Noodles (Green Dot)

Made in India. Processed in a plant that processes wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, soy, mustard and milk (dairy products).

Noodles:
 Wheat flour, refined palm oil, salt,
 gelling agent (E508) Potassium Chloride,
 wheat gluten,
 emulsifying agent (E452(i)) Sodium Polyphosphate,
 acidity regulator (E501(i)) Potassium Carbonate,
 raising agent (E500(ii)) Sodium bicarbonate,
 antioxidant (E319) TBHQ.
Seasoning:
 Mixed spices 38% (coriander, turmeric, onion,
 asafoetida, ginger, mustard, star anise, chili, fennel, garlic,
 cumin, fenugreek), sugar, salt, tomato powder (5.6%),
 soy sauce powder (soybean, wheat, salt), corn flour,
 flavour enhancer (E635) Disodium Ribonucleotides,
 dehydrated vegetables (2.6% (curry, carrot),
 anticaking agent (E551) Silicon dioxide, amorphous,
 acidity regulator (E330) Citric Acid,
 sunflower oil.

60g has (572mg) 25% of Daily Value for sodium.

Other versions are available Hot Garlic, Manchurian, and Schezwan.

Nestle Maggi: 2-minute Masala Noodles Authentic Indian Flavors (Green Dot)

Made in India. May contain milk and soy.

Noodles:
 Wheat flour, palm oil, salt, wheat gluten, potassium cloride,
 sodium triphosphate, potasium carbonate, sodium carbonate, guar gum.
Seasoning:
 Hydrolized peanut protein, palm oil, onion powder, corn starch,
 red chili powder, garlic powder, salt, palm oil, citric acid,
 potassium cloride, color, calcium stearate, disodium guanylate,
 disodium inosunate, baking soda.

70g has (970mg) 42% of Daily Value for sodium.

Vedan Korean Kimchi Noodles for Vegetarian

Spicy Mushroom Noodles for Vegetarian also available.

Mamee Vegetarian Flavour Instant Noodles

Made in Malasia. May contain peanuts, soybeans, sesame, celery, mustard.

 Wheat flour (contains gluten), vegetable oil, palm oil,
 antioxidant (E321),
 salt, stabilizers (e452 e501 e466)
 salt, msg (e621), e627, e631,
 black pepper, white pepper, sugar
 corn oil

75g has (1715mg) 74% of Daily Value for sodium.

Suraj: Masala Noodles (Loblaws) (V logo)

Made in China. May contain milk, crustacians (shrimp) and soy.

Noodles:
 Enriched wheat flour, palm oil (contains tocopherols), water, salt.
Seasoning:
 Enriched wheat flour, salt, maltodextrin, sugar, curry powder,
 yeast extract, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric,
 chilli powder, citric acid, caramel color, disodium inosinate,
 silicon dioxide, natural flavor.

75g has (590mg) 26% of Daily Value for sodium.

TRDP Mario masala noodles

Made in India. 100% vegetarian

Crystal Noodle Soup, Spicy Tofu

Contains wheat and soy. Manufactured in a facility that also processes egg, shellfish and fish products.

Noodles:
 Bean Starch, Potato Starch;
Seasoning:
 Tofu (Soybeans, Gulucono Deltalactone), Palm Oil, Welsh Onion,
 Fava Bean Paste (Fava Beans, Soy Sauce, Chili, Salt), Sea Salt,
 Ginger, Garlic Powder, Maltodextrin, Soy Protein, Tapioca Starch,
 Sugar, Chile Oil, Japanese Pepper Oil, Yeast Extract, Chili Powder,
 Japanese Pepper, Natural Flavors, Paprika Colorant,
 Vegetable Oils (Palm & Olive), Onion Powder,
 Disodium Inosinate & Guanylate, Corn Starch, Soy Lecithin,
 Vitamin E As Antioxidant

Defacto Vegan or Vegetarian

A-Sha Hakka Noodle Original Sauce

Product of Taiwan. Contains wheat, soy. and sesame. No preservatives, no MSG. My favorite.

Noodles:
 Wheat flour, salt, water.
Seasoning:
 Soy sauce (soya beans, water, salt, sugar),
 white sesame oil (soy oil, sesame oil).

95g has (1510mg) 66% of Daily Value for sodium.

The Hakka noodles are wide like linguine. The Tainan noodles are thin.

Hakka Noodle Chili Sauce, and Tainan Noodle Sesame Sauce versions also available.

Comments

• I prefer vegetarian noodles made in a vegetarian facility over "vegan" noodles made in a facility that processes fish and shellfish.
• Rice noodles often have fewer chemicals than ramen (wheat) noodles. (However, some wheat noodles are chemical-free.)
• After eating the noodles, you might want to dump out the remaining liquid to reduce your salt and MSG intake.
• When all else fails, read (and follow) the instructions.
• Consider buying rice noodles separately. For example, MAMA Instant Whole Grain Rice Vermicelli (Whole grain rice, rice, rice bran, tapioca starch).
• Consider buying ramen noodles separately. For example, T&T 3-minute Ramen Noodles (Enriched white flour, water, salt).
• Add vegetables (thinly-sliced for faster cooking} to your noodles.
• Looking for a recipe in a cookbook? ramen, soba, soba-noodles, rice-noodle, rice-noodles, noodle-soup, noodle, or noodles.
• Looking for an online recipe? ramen, soba, rice-noodle, rice-noodles, noodle-soup, noodle, or noodles.